Storage device



April 20, 1965 n. HALBERSTAM 3,179,258

STORAGE DEVICE Filed March 15, 1963 INVENTOR.

0A W0 l/AZS'EA'Jf/M F/az WKM 14770/P/VE) United States Patent This invention relates to a storage device, and more particularly to an improved storage device or system of particular value in establishments where a flexible inventory is maintained, such, for instance, as warehouses, retail establishments, factories and the like.

Still more particularly, this invention relates to a storage assembly wherein a fixed storage area may be economically utilized to the maximum extent.

Still more particularly, this invention relates to a storage device where articles disposed upon storage shelves may be' segregated into separate categories and wherein the shelf area for articles of a particular sort may be readily expanded or contracted, without the necessity for moving the articles with respect to the shelves on which the same are supported.

Accordingly it is an object of the invention to provide a storage device which permits flexibility of arrangement for economically employing a fixed storage area.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a storage device of the class described wherein articles may be segregated into discrete groups and the shelf area for any discrete group may be varied without the necessity for physically moving articles already stacked upon the shelves with respect to the shelves upon which they are stacked.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide a storage system having means for facilitating inventory control and for indicating automatically, at a control center or the like, the space which is available to accommodate additional articles. 7

To attain these objects and such further objects as may appear herein or be hereinafter pointed out, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, in which- FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a storage assembly in accordance with the invention, parts being broken away to show details of construction;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of elements of the device in accordance with FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a section taken on the line 3--3 of FIG- URE 2. e

In accordance with the invention, there is provided a series of substantially identical storage units 10, which units are preferably mounted upon a series of horizontal guideslor supports, such as upper spaced guide partition or frame 13, as by spaced hinges 15. The frames Ice or partitions 13 are provided with laterally offset upper anti-friction rollers 16, and lower anti-friction rollers 17, said rollers riding, respectively, Within the tracks 11 and 12 to support the frames or parttions 13 in the aforesaid generally vertical position.

The lower rollers 17 are preferably mounted on an axle 18 which extends transversely and at a plane beneath the shelf portions 14. The shelves 14, which are secured at one end 19 to the partitions 13, are preferably formed at their free ends 20 with a downwardly depending hook formation 21, for purposes which will appear hereafter. It is to be understood that the hook portion 21 need not be formed of an integral part of the shelf, as shown, but may comprise a bracket or the like extending beneath the shelf.

The shelf 14 of each storage unit 10, 10' is disposed with its free end 2% extending over the axle 18 of an adjacent storage unit, the said axle 18 providing a support for the end 21 of the shelf. The other end 19 of the shelf is supported by its connection with the frame member 13. The ends 19 of the shelves 14 are supported at a height above the height of the free ends 29 so as to permit the shelves to nest, i.e. to telescope one beneath the other without interference between any shelf and the partition or shelf of the adjacent storage unit.

It will be seen from the foregoing that each shelf member 14 is supported at one end by its connection at 15 to its associated frame or partition 13, the free ends 20 of said shelf units being supported by the axle 18 of the adjacent storage unit. It will be further recognized that the free end of the endmost or first of the storage units must be otherwise supported, i.e. by connection to the tracks'12 or by a fixed connection to a wall or bearing partition of the warehouse, for example, or by some equivalent supporting mechanism, which is not germane to the present invention.

Optionally but preferably, the storage units are provided with a switch assembly S including a Spring extended plunger P. The plunger P may be shifted inwardly from its normally extended position when one of the storage units is moved into a predetermined close relationship with respect to another storage unit. When such relationship is achieved, the plunger P engages against a rear face of the frame or panel 13 of the adjacent storage unit, to effect an inward shifting of the plunger aforesaid (see the dot and dash position, FIGUREZ). It will be recognized from the foregoing that the respective extended and inward positions of plunger P will control the open or closed position of the switch assembly S. The opening and closing of switch assembly S may be used to perform a variety of functions-for example, to indicate at a central control panel the shelf space or spaces which are empty and thus available for loading, or as a rough inventory check.

It will be readily understood by the skilled worker that where a more accurate inventory check is sought, means may be devised for indicating a partially nested condition of any unit or units, as by the provision of a series of limit switches, a variable resistance or the,

like.

In accordance with a preferred manner of using the devided tracks.

to its support shelf is required to obtain additional room.

. the succeeding or adjacent unit or bin is slid away from the loaded unit and similarly filled with merchandise. It will be understood that the first two or three units or bins may be loaded with merchandise of a first type and subsequent units or bins may be loaded with merchandise of a second type, etc. In the contemplated practice, the merchandise'as required is removed from the last loaded unit or bin carrying the commodity called for. Said unit or bin is preferably unloaded from the side closest to the next full bin carrying the same commodity (i.e. the right handmost side in the illustrated embodiment) so as to permit the unit or bin to be slid closer to the next adjacent unit or bin. As the supply carried on any unit becomes completely exhausted, the unloaded unit may be shifted to close proximate relation to the adjacent unit, whereupon the switching arrangement, if employed, will come into play.

It will be readily recognized that by enabling a gradual approach of one unit to another, as the units are unloaded, an increasing amount of space along the tracks 11, 12 will become available for the extension of other units, which other units may be disposed in leading or trailing position along the tracks.

It will thus be observed that through the use of the foregoing storage device, great flexibility is provided since the occasion of removal from storage of a commodity may be utilized to provide additional shelf space for another commodity merely by shifting units or bins along the pro- No shifting of the commodity with respect The desirability of such arrangement will be readily rec- :ognized, particularly in conjunction with heavy or fragile objects wherein a minimum of handling is desirable.

While the ends of the shelf units are shown as supported on the afle portions of succeeding shelf units, it will be recognized that the supports for such units may be formed other than by the said axles and, alternatively, the free ends may themselves be provided with rollers or equivalent means carried directly on the guide tracks.

It will be further observed that a more or less permanent, non-shiftable relationship between the individual units is created when the same are loaded with merchandise since the weight of such merchandise acting against the shelf, which in turn rests upon the axle of a succeeding shelf, will provide frictional resistance to movement of such loaded unit along the tracks' Conversely, when the device is unloaded the frictional pressure is relieved and the units may be readily shifted to a compacted relationship.

'The arrangement herein describe-d will permit a given commodity to be stored at or near a familiar position while still providing less room when the supply of the commodity is depleted and, concomitantly more room where a greater storage area for another commodity is required.- It is thus possible, through the use of the present invention, to balance or vary the storage area required for a plurality of commodities without wasting space when the supply of any commodity is short, or relocating such commodity to an unfamiliar position.

Having thus described the invention and illustrated its use, what is claimed as new and is desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1.-A storage device comprising first and second independent storage units mounted for independent sliding movement on verticallyspaced upper and lower track members, each said unit comprising a vertical partition having means engaged with said upper and lower track 'members and a longitudinally extended storage shelf secured at one end to said partition and having a free end, said shelf sloping slightly downward from said one end to said free end, said shelf of said first unit extending heneath said partition and a portion of the shelf of said second unit, and means on said second unit slidably engaging and supporting said'shelf of said first unit throughout a substantial range of'relative movement of said units.

2. A storage device comprising horizontally spaced track members, first and second independently movable storage units, each comprising a generally vertical partition, a horizontally disposed axle member carried by each said partition and having spaced anti-friction means mounted thereon, said anti-friction means being supported on said track members, a shelf pivotally secured at one end to said partition and having a free end, said shelves sloping slightly downward from said one end to said free end, said shelf of said first unit extending beneath said partition and a portion of the shelf of said second unit and overlying and being supported on said axle member of said second partition.

3. A storage device comprising vertically spaced upper and lower track members, a plurality of storage units independently movably mounted on said track members, said units each including a generally vertically disposed frame member having means slidably mounted on said upper and lower track members and a longitudinally extended generally horizontally disposed storage support shelf fixed at one end to said frame member, the ends of each said shelf remote from said one end passing under the frame member of, and being disposed beneath, the shelf of the next adjacent storage unit, and means on said storage uints for supporting the shelf ofthe adjacent unit which is disposed therebeneath throughout a substantial range of relative movement of said units.

4. A storage device comprising vertically spaced pairs of horizontal track means, a plurality of storage units independently movably mounted on said track means, said units each including a generally vertically disposed frame member having anti-friction means slidably mounted on said track means and a longitudinally extended storage support shelf having one end carried by said frame memher and having an end remote from said frame member, said shelves being slightly inclined with respect to the horizontal, with said remote end being lower than said one end, said remote end of said shelves being disposed beeath the shelf of the next adjacent storage unit, and support means engaging said shelves at a point beneath the said adjacent storage unit, said support means providing weight bearing support for said free end throughout a substantial range of relative movement of said units.

5. A storage device comprising upper and lower horizontally disposed guide track members, a plurality of generally L-shaped storage units independently movably mounted on said track members, said units having a generally vertically disposed partition and a support shelf portion slightly inclined with respect to the horizontal having one end pivotally mounted to said partition and having a free end disposed in a plane lower than said one end, support means extending beneath said units, the shelf of at least one unit lying beneath the next adjacent unit, said shelf being supported on said support means of said adjacent unit.

6. A storage device comprising first and second independent storage units mounted for sliding movement on horizontal guide means, each said unit comprising a vertical partition and a shelf secured at one end of said partition and having a free end, said shelf sloping slightly downward from said one end to said free end, said shelf of said first unit extending beneath'said partition and a portion of the shelf of said second unit, means on said second unit slidably engaging and supporting said shelf of said first unit, stop means on said first unit and abutment means on said secondunit, shiftable into engagement with said stop means, said stop and abutment means being positioned to limit movement of said first unit away from said second unit.

7. A device in accordance with claim 6 and including a limit switch member carried by one said unit and a limit switch operating member carried by said other unit, said members being positioned to maintain said switch in a first circuit control position when said units occupy a predetermined close position one to the other, and to maintain said switch in a second opposite circuit control posi- 6 References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,482,699 Picard Feb. 5, 1924 2,013,919 Kramer Sept. 10, 1935 2,468,101 Nampa Apr. 26, 1949 2,517,284 Calvert Aug. 1, 1950 CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner. 

2. A STORAGE DEVICE COMPRISING HORIZONTALLY SPACED TRACK MEMBERS, FIRST AND SECOND INDEPENDENTLY MOVABLE STORAGE UNITS, EACH COMPRISING A GENERALLY VERTICAL PARTITION, A HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED AXLE MEMBER CARRIED BY EACH SAID PARTITION AND HAVING SPACED ANTI-FRICTION MEANS MOUNTED THEREON, SAID ANTI-FRICTION MEANS BEING SUPPORTED ON SAID TRACK MEMBERS, A SHELF PIVOTALLY SECURED AT ONE END TO SAID PARTITION AND HAVING A FREE END, SAID SHELVES SLOPING SLIGHTLY DOWNWARD FROM SAID ONE END TO SAID FREE END, SAID SHELF OF SAID FIRST UNIT EXTENDING BENEATH SAID PARTITION AND A PORTION OF THE SHELF OF SAID SECOND UNIT AND OVERLYING AND BEING SUPPORTED ON SAID AXLE MEMBER OF SAID SECOND PARTITION. 